Robert Morse

[IloveBroadwAY3]

Posted: 1/31/15 at 5:45pm

Did anyone see Robert Morse in Wicked in SF, I am just wondering why he was replaced?

[darquegk]

Posted: 1/31/15 at 7:09pm

The official story was they wanted someone who could play both warm and fatherly and sinister. Morse didn't radiate warmth in Act 1, you could see the wheels turning the whole time. It made the plot twist too obvious- Morse as a scheming two face? Who wouldn't expect that?

[IloveBroadwAY3]

Posted: 1/31/15 at 7:34pm

not because Joel Gray's voice is not obvious

[darquegk]

Posted: 1/31/15 at 11:56pm

Joel Grey heaped on the corn and sentiment. You could at least buy him as a grandfatherly type more than Robert Morse. The decision to make the character more deceptive came after Morse had already been cast.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 2/2/15 at 5:51pm

Robert Morse is wonderful.
He is the only j Pierrepont Finch in my book.

I even loved his musical sit-com; That's life!
Anyone remember that? Robert Morse and EJ Peaker.
Musical Comedy heaven weekly. I think it lasted one half a season.

Alas...

[jv92]

Posted: 2/2/15 at 5:59pm

I thought Morse has trouble committing to a year contract in NY, leaving his wife and family. In any event, having been lucky enough to see that original cast, Joel was terrific!

I've also that Morse can fly off the handle in performance sometimes. Apparently, when he played Cap'n Andy in SHOW BOAT (Hal Prince's staging), Sondheim was in the audience one night and Bobby Morse spotted him and shouted, "Hiya, Steve!" mid-scene.

Note that the character of "Steve" was not in that scene, apparently. Updated On: 2/2/15 at 05:59 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 2/2/15 at 7:16pm

I saw him in Wicked. He came across as rather creepy, which I guess sort of worked except it was probably more off-putting than they intended. I also got uncomfortable watching him do jazz hands. Even he looked uncomfortable.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 2/2/15 at 7:19pm

I hate vaguely titled threads about elderly performers. Makes me assume the worst. Get specific, you goons.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 2/2/15 at 8:55pm

"I'm not dead yet!" says Robert Morse. (Only on Mad Men.)